J. F. Campbell Collection > Koran: or, Alcoran of Mohammed

SECT. vm. FRELIMINAKY DISCOURSE. 115
tlie last body will enjoy the reward or sufTer the punishment due to each
soul;* and 3. That God will be seen at the resurrection, not with tho
bodily eyes, but those of the understanding.^
6. The Jahedhians, or followers of Amru Ebn Bahr, sumamed al Jahedli,
a gi-eat doctor of the Motazalites, and very much admired for the elegance
of his composures ; ^ who diflered from his brethren in that he imagined the
damned would not be eternally tormented in hell, but should be changed
into the natm-e of fire, and that the fii'e would of itself attract them, with-
out any necessity of their going into it.^ He also taught that if a man.
believed God to be his Lord, and Mohammed the apostle of God, he
became one of the ftiithful, and was obliged to nothing farther.^ His
peculiar opinion as to the Koran has been taken notice of before.*
7. The Mozdarians, who embraced the opinions of Isa Ebn Sobeih al
Mozdar, and those very absurd ones: for, besides liis notions relating to
the Koran,* he went so directly counter to the opinion of those who
abridged God of the power to do e\'il, that he affirmed it possible for God
to be a Liar, and unjust.^ He also pronounced him to be an infidel who
thrust himself into the supreme government : ' nay he went so far as to as-
sert men to be infidels wliile they said, There is no God but God, and even
condemned all the rest of mankind as guilty of infidelity; upon which
Ibrahim Ebn al Sentli asked him whether paradise, whose breadth equals
that of heaven and earth, was created only for him and two or three more
who thought as he did? to which it is said he could return no answer."
8. The Basharians, who maintained the tenets of Bashar Ebn Motamer,
the master of al jNIozdar," and a principal man among the JMotazaUtes. He
differed in some things from the general opinion of that sect, carrying man's
free agency to a great excess, making it even independent : and yet he
thought God might doom an infant to eternal pimishment, but granted
he would be unjust in so doing. He taught that God is not always obliged
to do that which is best, for if he plea.sed he could make all men true
believei-s. These sectaries also held, that if a man repent of a mortal sin,
and afterwards return to it, he will be liable to suffer the punishment
due to the former transgression.^
9. The Thamamiuns, who followed Thamama Ebn Bashar, a chief Mota-
zalite. Their peculiar opinions were, 1. That sinners should remain in hell
for ever. 2. That free actions have no producing author. 3. That at
the resurrection all infidels, idolaters, atheists, Jews, Christians, Magians,
and heretics, shall be reduced to dust.*
10. The Kadarians; which is really a more ancient name than that of
Motazalites ; ]\Iabad al Johni and his adherents being so called, who dis-
puted the doctrine of predestination before "Wasel quitted his master;^ for
which reason some use the denomination of Kadarians as more extensi^^e
than the other, and comprehend all the Motazalites under it.* This sect
deny absolute predestination, saying that evil and injustice ought not to be
attributed to God, but to man, who is a free agent, and may therefore be
rewarded or punished for his actions, which God has granted him power
either to do or to let alone. ^ And hence it is said they are called Kada-
rians, because they deny al Kadr, or God's absolute decree ; though others,
• Marracc. et al Shahrest. ubi sup. ' IMarracc. ibid. p. 75. ^ Vide D'Herbel
Bibl Orient, art. Giahedh. » A I Shahrest. ubi sup. p. 260. « Marracc. ubi snp.
* Sect. iii. p. 49. « Vide ibid, et p. 48. « Al Shahrest. apud Poc. p. 241. 7 Mar.
race, ubi sup p. 75. « ^1 Shahrestani, ubi sup. p. 220. « Poc. Spec, p 2'A
' Marracc. ubi sup. * Idem, ibid. » Al Shahrest, ♦ Al Firauzab. Vide Poc
Spec. p. 231, 232. et 214. Al Shahrest. Vide Poc. Spec. p. 235. et 240 kc